• Fetus@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    56
    ·
    7 months ago

    I remember hearing a theory that it could have been intended as a viral marketing campaign for the remake of It. Once it started getting bad press, they gave up on the idea, but copycats kept copycatting.

    No idea if there’s any truth to any of that, but it seems plausible.

  • FartsWithAnAccent@fedia.io
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    38
    ·
    edit-2
    7 months ago

    The worst was when we had an evil clown show up in the White House. I think it was one of the first, sometime in January.

  • Blubber28@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    23
    ·
    7 months ago

    2020/2021/2022 were so bad we all forgot about 2016. The clowns, trump being elected, Harambe. It was considered a wild year back then.

  • Plastic_Ramses@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    20
    ·
    edit-2
    7 months ago

    This incident is the reason ronald mcdonald is no longer used as a mascot for mcdonalds, granted he was definitely being used less and less.

    RIP ronald, you were always pretty fucking weird looking, but i never thought you would murder me.

    God takes who heavens deserves most :((((

    • qjkxbmwvz@startrek.website
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      19
      ·
      7 months ago

      Wikipedia page has some explanation.

      There’s also this gem:

      In October 2016, McDonald’s decided that Ronald McDonald would keep a lower profile as a result of the incidents.

      That said, a 16 year old was killed in relation to these incidents, so not completely fun and games.

    • Titou@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      7 months ago

      Not sure for other countries, but in mine it was just peoples disguising in clown for fun or doing prank on youtube, no real harmful acts.

    • TheFriar@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      7 months ago

      It was what every cultural thing seems to be turning into: internet pranks/memes. Someone saw someone do it, did it themselves, when more people did it, more people did it. Simplest explanation is always the most likely.